The Kaohsiung Rundown

The proverbial second city of Taiwan gets nowhere near the love or attention it deserves. Alas, what can we realistically expect when a bona fide alpha city like Taipei so thoroughly dominates the discussion? When you do tire of Taiwan’s nerve center, however, as addictive as it is, turn south and make a beeline for Kaohsiung. A city of just under 3 million people, Kaohsiung has all the inherent sass and insouciant charm of a good alt-capital and, all in all, is a wonderful place to explore. The Taiwan Strait port and river city lives by the water and hurls a solid parade of vibrant urban enclaves at visitors who take the time to absorb it all.

The proud host of the 2009 World Games is a city on the rise and has enough supertall cranes and traces of a bold new skyline to prove it. The bulk of development looms over the Love River, by far the most significant artery and geographic feature of the city. All the congenital verve of Kaohsiung takes place by or supremely close to the water, from night markets to a host of landmarks and annual festivals. The Old City of Zuoying, a vestige of the Qing Dynasty, is a premier landmark and must-see fare with the likes of Lotus Lake, Cijin Island, Fisherman’s Wharf and Hsitzuwan Beach. From museums to nightlife, restaurants to bucolic peripheral villages, Kaohsiung is a worthwhile gem in Taiwan.

Kaohsiung’s Top 10

10. Love River is the center of the action in Kaohsiung, with many waterfront hives of activity.

5. Lotus Lake is a man-made pond with a necklace of pagodas and temples.

9. Fisherman's Wharf is a port cum tourist area and site of new commercial development.

4. Tuntex Sky Tower, the most distinctive landmark in Kaohsiung, was the top skyscraper in Taiwan until construction on Taipei 101 hit floor 86.

8. National Science and Technology Museum is the biggest in Asia and a memorable attraction for kids and adults alike.

3. Liuhe Night Market is a vital artery of tourist activity and the best place to score a nocturnal snack.

7. Kaohsiung Museum of History unfurls some excellent exhibits in the old city hall.

Liuho Night Market – A local Kaohsiung night market with food, games and shopping.

Bamboo Street – A wonderful open-air market and one of the best places to find traditional handicrafts.

Jade Market – The place to find countless items made of jade.

Star Place – A designer paradise with great clothing and accessories in an amazing atmosphere.

Gay & Lesbian Kaohsiung

No. 10 Gay Book Store – Only one of its kind and sells magazines, toys, books and other goods.

31 – This mixed-crowd, gay-owned bar and restaurant is friendly and popular with local Kaohsiung gays.

Vanity – This gay and lesbian club features a stage and a large dance floor.

Marui – A stylish coffee shop with karaoke downstairs and special monthly shows.

Private Life – A friendly karaoke place that fills up on the weekends with an older crowd.

Kaohsiung Outdoor

Central Park – This park has a small hedge maze in the centre, tennis courts, paths, a pond and a café.

Shoushan – A lovely place outdoors on the west coast of the island just across from Cijin.

British Consulate at Takao – A place to enjoy lovely views of Kaohsiung.

Love River – Ferry rides are popular along this river flowing through the heart of the city.

Lotus Lake – A wonderful place to walk or bike against a backdrop of local temples.

Kaohsiung Sport

Watch some great rugby games at the Kaohsiung National Stadium.

Tour Kaohsiung by bicycle along its many cycle-friendly paths.

Golf at the quality Kaohsiung Golf & Country Club.

See martial arts on the first floor of the three-storey Taoist Temple of the Holy Hall.

Catch live games on TV at the Lighthouse Bar and Grill.

Kaohsiung Events

Kaohsiung has a tidy little festival scene, with some traditional events and those purposively for the tourists.

Kaohsiung Lantern Festival celebrates the Lunary New Year with much revelry and pomp.

Yi Ya Festival livens up the wet season and is a paragon food bender held in honor of the foremost patron of the culinary arts in Taiwan.

Gourmet Food Festival, also in July, is a good time to graze night market stalls.

Moon Festival, or Mid-Autumn Festival, is a time to party and watch fireworks by the Love River.

Dragon Boat Festival lures muscular longboat racers to the Love River in May.

When To Go

Like most of the rest of Taiwan, Kaohsiung has a tropical wet and dry climate with typhoon-prone activity. More than 65% of annual precipitation - a healthy 70 plus inches - falls in the months June, July and August. To top it off, summer swelters with temperatures between 79°F (26°C) and 90°F (32°C), with not much relief until November.

The “winter” months of December, January and February, or dry season, as it was, offer some modicum of comfort. Rain is minimal, typhoons even more so, and temperatures fall in between 60°F (15°C) and 76°F (24.5°C). The mercury starts to rise in March and April and, on the whole, humidity is omnipresent throughout the year.

What To Miss

Kaohsiung is not Ho Chi Minh City but scooters fill city streets to a such significant extent that among Taiwanese it is often called “the city of a million scooters”. As the primary mode of transportation in Kaohsiung, the mechanized two-wheelers rule the road and, too often, the sidewalks. As a pedestrian or motorist, be ultra-vigilant and check your blind spots much more than at home. Even though helmets are mandatory, it is not uncommon to see people without them and, worse, with a mobile device on the ear. If you rent a scooter, memorize the license plate in order to recognize it among the uniform masses.

Liuhe Night Market is a requisite tourist ritual in Kaohsiung but the scene is not the equal of a Shilin, Huaxi or Lehua in Taipei and, moreover, purists will tell you that the food is not up to the level of a Fengjia in Taichung.

Love River boat tours have become part of the mainstream tourist scene in Kaohsiung too. Visit the busy waterfront areas of the city, without fail, but give the river cruise a pass, as it contributes little in the way of worthwhile charm or diversion.

Getting Around

Kaohsiung International (Siaogang) Airport handles over 4 million passengers a year and links up with the likes of Bangkok-Suvarnabhumi, Beijing-Capital, Hanoi, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Osaka-Kansai, Seoul-Incheon, Shanghai-Pudong, Singapore, Taipei-Taoyuan and Tokyo-Narita. Many, however, simply fly in to Taipei and catch a 90 minute high-speed train ride to Kaohsiung. Regular express trains cover the journey in 4 to 5 hours; coach buses make it to Kaohsiung from Taipei in 5.5. hours.

The core urban layout of Kaohsiung is, on the whole, amenable for cyclists and pedestrians. A new Mass Rapid Transit system currently operates 2 lines and 36 stations. A modest 135,000 people use the subway every day. Notable stations include Central Park, Formosa Boulevard, World Games and Xinzuoying. The city bus network is easy to use and provides access to outer districts. Kaohsiung also operates a superb bicycle rental service.

Kaohsiung - General information

General Information

Taiwan's second city gets nowhere near the press of Taipei but nevertheless, Kaohsiung is a wonderful place to explore. With a dense population of over 1.5 million people, the port city in southwest Taiwan is a vibrant little metropolis. A notable industrial and transportation hub, Kaohsiung's waterfront location also provides it with a lot of intrinsic charm.

The 2009 World Games host has a brilliant skyline that looms over the Love River, by far the most significant geographic feature of the city. The bulk of Kaohsiung's vitality takes place near the waterway, from a superb night market to a host of landmarks and annual festivals that take place by the river. Holy Rosary Cathedral, just east of Love River, is the seat of the Archbishop of Taiwan and well worth a visit. The Old City of Zuoying, which was built under the Qing Dynasty, is a premier example of ancient defensive fortifications and remains a popular tourist draw in Kaohsiung.

Attractions & Activities

Attractions

Liouho Night Market

Tuntex Sky Tower

Museum of Fine Arts

Fengshan Old City

Lotus Lake

Activities

Kaohsiung Lantern Festival

Yi Ya Festival

Gourmet Food Festival

Moon Festival

Dragon Boat Festival

Restaurants & Nightlife

Restaurants

Lai Lai Seafood Barbecue

Wudu Organic House

The Spice Shop

Cosmos

New House

Nightlife

Loft

Fabric

Kiss Pub

Imola

Duplex

EntertainmentLiuhe Night Market

Don’t be put off by guidebooks that describe Kaohsiung’s Liuhe Night Market as a “tourism” night market. The busy hive of activity is phenomenal and a great place to score delicious street food and mingle and barter with locals.

Dream Mall

The second-largest retail, leisure and entertainment complex in Asia is a prominent Kaohsiung point of interest and among locals, either a source of giddy pride or minor embarrassment. Drop every notion you have about malls at the door - Dream Mall truly has it all.

Shou Shan Zoo

Kaohsiung’s Shou Shan Zoo is world class and boasts a rare and exceptional collection of animals from Africa, Asia, the Americas and Oceania.

Qijin District

While in Kaohsiung, take a short ride on the Qijin Island Ferry to a region of the city on the verge of a vibrant makeover. The willowy island of Qijin (or Cijin) has a beach, fine seafood markets, restaurants and many beautiful, scenic areas to explore.

Hot Springs

Visitors to Kaohsiung who want to escape to hot springs hotels and resorts are in luck. Kaohsiung County and nearby Tainan County contain perhaps the best ensemble of mountain spas in all of Taiwan. Two hot springs hubs within Maolin National Scenic Area, Baolai and Bulao, are especially desirable and popular.

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